Things You'll Need:
- Camera
- Tripod
- Lights
- Light Stands
- Gels and Filters
- Clothes Pins
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Step 1
Light your subject. Regardless of what you are shooting, your subject must stand out. Your "key" lights should be directly on your subject.
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Step 2
Examine the existing light. If you are in a studio, then you control all the photography lighting. However, if you are outdoors during the day, then the sun will be a factor. If you are at a location with lights you don't control, you must consider them. Take a look at existing light, and see if you can use it to your advantage. Face your subjects into existing light. This is especially nice outdoors during the "golden hour." That's the hour just after sunrise or just before sunset when light waves are long and lighting is soft.
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Step 3
Compensate for flaws in the existing light with fill lights. Many times, existing light casts unattractive shadows. Use reflectors or lights to get rid of them. Your light should be at an angle to the direction of the shadow. Experiment with the location until your shadows are gone.
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Step 4
Add back lights when the subject is blending into the background. This happens when the subject has little contrast with the background or the key lights on the subject are too strong. Back lights shining on the subjects from behind distinguish them from the background.
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Step 5
Soften the light with gels, filters and barn doors. Harsh light washes out subjects in photographs. To avoid this, diffuse the light. Use clothes pins to cover the lights with thin plastic sheets called gels, or attach shaded glass called filters. Lighting can be controlled by opening and closing covers called barn doors. Light can also be bounced off of ceilings, walls or sheets. Soft light is more natural and casts few shadows.
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Step 6
Light the background. If lighting your subject is making the background disappear, then give the background its own lights. These should be independent of your subject lighting. Brightening the background often eliminates the need for back lights on your subject.
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Step 7
Decide what kind of effect you want. If you are photographing standard portraits, then you want your subjects to stand out with no shadows. If you are trying something more artistic, then you may want dramatic lighting. Add or subtract photography lighting to suit your needs.
